Crochet,  Crochet Tutorials

Triad Stitch in Rows and Rounds

September 28, 2026 / No Comments

Hi friends!

I’ve got a fun stitch tutorial for you today—the triad stitch! It’s sort of like a cluster but with a slight variation in the finish. Each triad is linked with the one before and after it and separated by chain stitches.

Today I’m going to show you how to work the stitch at the most basic level, then I’ll show you how to work it in both turned rows and in rounds, so you can get creating in whatever way pleases you!

What Is the Triad Stitch?

The triad stitch is what I would deem an intermediate level stitch. It helps to have a firm understanding of the half double crochet and double crochet stitches before attempting.

The triad stitch is kind of like if a half double crochet decrease and a double crochet stitch had a baby. It starts by yarning over and pulling up a loop from each of three indicated stitches, leaving all their respective loops on the hook. Then, it finishes similarly to a double crochet—pull through all loops except the last loop, then yarn over and pull through the last two loops on the hook to finish. The stitches are linked to one another and only use a stitch multiple of two as a result of this linking. Triad rows are worked alternately with a row of another solid stitch usually, creating a 2-row pattern repeat for this stitch pattern.

Pattern Repeat: refers to the block of rows/rounds that are repeated a specified number of times to complete the bulk of a pattern

How to Crochet the Triad Stitch

The triad stitch is a two-stitch alternating stitch pattern worked across three stitches and separated by a chain 1. It’s worked with different stitch multiples depending on whether you’re working in turned rows or in joined rounds.

This tutorial uses the following stitches and abbreviations:

  • Chain (ch)
  • Yarn Over (yo)
  • Slip Stitch (sl st)
  • Single Crochet (sc)
  • Triad
  • Chain Space (ch sp)

Video Tutorial

Want to see this stitch in action? I’ve created a video tutorial for you!

Working in Flat Turned Rows

When you work the trinity stitch flat, you’ll use a multiple of 2+1 stitches + however many turning chains you need for your set up row. You can use a set up row of any other type of stitch as long as there are an odd number of stitches to work on top of. In this tutorial, I’m starting from a row of single crochet so you can see how that works, but you can do what suits you.

For the swatch below, my foundation chain is (18 + 1) +1 for the turning chain = 20 chains. Then I worked a single crochet in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each across for 19 single crochets.

Additionally, triad rows are generally alternated with another row of solid stitches so that the prettier side of the triads are always on the right side of the fabric and because alternating with a solid stitch helps with structure. This means there is a 2-row repeat. Here again, I’ll be using rows of single crochet as my solid stitch rows between triad rows.

Because the triad stitch pattern is a 2-row repeat, even though our next row is technically the 2nd in our swatch, I’ll refer to it as Row 1 in this tutorial to better illustrate its place in the pattern repeat. So let’s dive into Row 1—our triad row!

Rules of Thumb
1. You’ll start and end each triad row with a double crochet and a chain space
2. Triad stitches are worked with the right side of the fabric facing you

Close up showing the beginning chain-4 worked and three arrows indicating the next three stitches. Text reads: "Row 1: Chain 4 to start the row; counts as a double crochet plus chain 1. The first triad will be worked over the next 3 stitches."
Close up showing a partial half-double crochet worked into the first of the 3 previously indicated stitches. Text reads: "First Triad: Yarn over and pull up a loop from the first indicated stitch; 3 loops remain on hook."
Close up showing a partial half-double crochet worked into the first 2 of the 3 previously indicated stitches. Text reads: "First Triad Continued: Yarn over and pull up a loop from the second indicated stitch; 5 loops remain on hook."
Close up showing a partial half-double crochet worked into the 3 previously indicated stitches. Text reads: "First Triad Continued: Yarn over and pull up a loop from the third indicated stitch; 7 loops remain on hook."
Close up showing partially worked triad. Text reads: "First Triad Continued: Yarn over and pull through the first 6 loops on hook; 2 loops remain on hook."
Split image showing a close up of the completed triad on the left and the completed triad plus a chain 1 on the right. Text reads: "First Triad Continued: yarn over and pull through 2 remaining loops, chain 1. First triad complete."
Close up showing completed first triad and chain 1 with three arrows indicating where to work the next triad. Text reads: "Subsequent Triads will be linked to each other by working into the same stitch as the last leg of the previous triad and the next two stitches after it."
Close up showing a 7 loops on the hook pull up from the 3 previously indicated stitches. Text reads: "Subsequent triads: yarn over and pull up a loop from each of the 3 indicated stitches; 7 loops remain on hook."
Close up showing the second partially completed triad. Text reads: "Subsequent Triads: yarn over and pull through first 6 loops on hook; 2 loops remain on hook."
Close up of the second completed triad plus chain 1. Text reads: "Subsequent Triads: yarn over and pull through 2 remaining loops, chain 1. Repeat across until 1 stitch remains."
Split image close ups of the last stitch remaining unworked on the left and the completed triad row on the right. Text reads: "Double crochet in the last stitch."
Close up of the beginning of Row 2 showing single crochets worked into the double crochet, chain space, and triad of the previous row. Text reads: "Row 2: chain 1, single crochet in each stitch and chain space across."
Split image shows close ups of the end of row 2 with the last two stitches unworked and arrows indicating their placement on the left and the completed row 2 on the right. Text reads: "Work the last two single crochets into the chain-4 space and into the third chain."
Top view of the swatch after working both rows of the pattern repeat. Text reads: "Repeat Rows 1 and 2 as desired."

Working in Rounds

Working the triad stitch in the round is very similar to working it in rows, but differs from its flat variation in its stitch multiple. To work in rounds, you’ll need a multiple of 2 stitches and there won’t be any double crochet stitches to start or end rounds with.

Like before, you can work your triad stitches on top of any other type of stitch, but in this tutorial, I am going to show you how to work them directly into single crochet stitches. For the sample below, my round is (2 x 15) = 30 single crochets.

Just like in the rows tutorial, I’m going to refer to the triad round as Round 1, even though technically it’s the second round of the swatch. Again, this is to better illustrate its place in the 2-round pattern repeat.

Close up of a round of single crochet with three arrows indicating the first three stitches. Text reads: "Round 1: Chain 1 to start the round. The first triad will be worked over the first 3 stitches, starting with the stitch at the base of your chain-1."
Close up showing a partial half-double crochet worked into the first of the 3 previously indicated stitches. Text reads: "First Triad: Yarn over and pull up a loop from the first indicated stitch; 3 loops remain on hook."
Close up showing a partial half-double crochet worked into the first 2 of the 3 previously indicated stitches. Text reads: "First Triad Continued: Yarn over and pull up a loop from the second indicated stitch; 5 loops remain on hook."
Close up showing a partial half-double crochet worked into the 3 previously indicated stitches. Text reads: "First Triad Continued: Yarn over and pull up a loop from the third indicated stitch; 7 loops remain on hook."
Close up showing partially worked triad. Text reads: "First Triad Continued: Yarn over and pull through the first 6 loops on hook; 2 loops remain on hook."
Split image showing a close up of the completed triad on the left and the completed triad plus a chain 1 on the right. Text reads: "First Triad Continued: yarn over and pull through 2 remaining loops, chain 1. First triad complete."
Close up showing completed first triad and chain 1 with three arrows indicating where to work the next triad. Text reads: "Subsequent Triads will be linked to each other by working into the same stitch as the last leg of the previous triad and the next two stitches."
Close up showing a 7 loops on the hook pull up from the 3 previously indicated stitches. Text reads: "Subsequent triads: yarn over and pull up a loop from each of the 3 indicated stitches; 7 loops remain on hook."
Close up showing the second partially completed triad. Text reads: "Subsequent Triads: yarn over and pull through first 6 loops on hook; 2 loops remain on hook."
Close up of the second completed triad plus chain 1. Text reads: "Subsequent Triads: yarn over and pull through 2 remaining loops, chain 1. Repeat around until 1 stitch remains."
Close up of the last unworked stitch from the previous round with three arrows indicating where to work the last triad. Text reads: "The final triad will be worked into the same stitch as the last leg of the previous triad, the last unworked stitch, and the same stitch as the first leg of the first triad of the round."
Close up of the final triad and chain 1 completed. Text reads: "Completed final triad plus ch-1."
Close up of the join of Round 1. Text reads: "Slip stitch to the top of the first triad of the round to join."
Top view of completed Round 2. Text reads: "Round 2: Chain 1, single crochet in each triad and chain space around, slip stitch to the first single crochet of the round to join. Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 as desired."

Yay, you did it! Congrats on learning a new stitch! It’s not too bad once you get the hang of it, is it? If you enjoyed the triad stitch, you should check out the trinity stitch! It’s another linked stitch like this one but it’s a little simpler due to being a variation on a single crochet decrease with a single row/round repeat.

Happy yarning!

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